Future
by Tonks32
Summary: The Herald has been given a glimpse of the future if she failed to close the breech. Everyone she knows is dead and that's when she realizes just how much they mean to her. Especially a certain Commander. Also a nice bit of Inquisitor/Cassandra friendship.


Hey look another story! Man i'm on a roll! This time it's my rouge inquisitor and her lovely commander. All mistakes are my own as I'm looking for a beta so I don't spoil my friends game by asking him to do it. If anyone is interested let me know. So enjoy the story!

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Time travel. The idea was so observed that it sounded like something Lizabeth would find in one of Varric's novels. Yet here it was staring her in the face. A whole year had passed in what was a moment for her and Dorian. Judging by the despair in Cassandra's voice, a lot had happened in that time. None of it was good if the amount red lyrium everywhere was any indication. Guilt chocked her. The seeker said she had failed, but was Lizabeth who did. They had believed in her, trusted her to close the breach. She had let them down. Her failure had led to this hellish nightmare they were in.

"I need to find armor and weapon." Cassandra announced distracting the Herald from her thoughts.

The seeker's glowing red eyes made Lizabeth weary to accept Cassandra's help. There was no little choice in the matter. There was no way she and Dorian could make it themselves to where Alexius was holding himself. "There is a chest in the hall."

Darian sighed, "We should check the other cells to see who else we can find."

The two cells next to Cassandra's were empty giving Lizabeth very little hope in finding anyone else alive. What she found in the last cell cut her at the knees. "Cullen." The name slipped past her guard. The commander, her beloved commander, lay lifeless on the floor of the cage.

Dorian was taken aback by the sudden change in Lizabeth. She was literally falling apart as she fumbled helplessly with the lock of the door. "Herald?"

"Help me." A sob lodged in her throat. The damn door was locked and her hands were shaking so bad she could hold onto her lock picks. "Dorian help me get it open."

Confused, Dorian urged her aside to see what was behind the metal bars. The body inside was disfigured he wasn't even sure if it man or demon. He was going to dismiss it and heard Lizabeth out of the room, but knew he risked bodily harm. "Give me the picks." The moment he got the cell door open the Herald rushed in and collapsed beside the body.

"Andraste forgive me." There was no stopping the gut wrenching sobs from spilling out. The handsome man she met on the battle field was gone. The only thing recognizable was the unruly curls of his blood coated hair. Dressed in a pair of soiled breeches, the former Knight Commander's skin was discolored and mutated. The veins showed the unmistakable traces of red lyrium. He was just skin in bones and his chest had been filleted open by what she had to guess was a whip. Torture. Lizabeth fell on to her hands, dry heaving. The man's wrist and ankles were raw from being bound for a prolonged period of time. She did this! This was her fault! All the pain he went through was on her. "I failed you. All of you."

"You haven't failed them." Dorian tried to reassure the near inconsolable Herald. Whoever the dead person was meant a great deal to her.

"Yes I did. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." With tears streaming down her face, she skimmed her fingers over Cullen's lifeless cheek. This was all her fault. All of this death and destruction was on her because she failed. What had been done to him? How long did he survive the torture? Seeing him lifeless and broken made her realize just how much the commander had invaded her heart. "I'm so sorry."

Dorian placed a gentle hand on the distraught woman's shoulder, "Lizabeth none of this is real."

"Maybe not for you." She shot to her feet and shoved hard at the mage's chest. "Look around Dorian, this is all real. Alexius won."

"Not yet he hasn't." That wasn't the answer she wanted. He staggered back under the weight of her blow to his chin. Before he could recover she charged. He made no attempt to stop the pounding she unleashed on his chest.

"He's dead! I did this! I DID THIS!" All of it was her fault. How could the Maker let this happen? Whatever little faith she had in him and Andraste vanished. Worn by the emotions and tears, she stopped her assault on the mage and clung to him. "I killed them, Dorian. I killed the only family I've ever known."

They didn't know who had survived and who didn't. Dorian figured that would bring the Herald little comfort. He held her tight, "we can make this right, Lizabeth. We can make it so none of this happened."

And if they couldn't? The world around them would be the real one. Cassandra would be consumed by the red lyrium and Cullen would be gone forever. Thedas would be lost to Alexus and his so called Elder one. Some Herald of Andraste she was. Dorian had offered hope, as small as it was, and Lizabeth grasped onto it as tight as she could. They had to make this right. She couldn't lose her friends. Her family.

The mage watched in utter amazement as the rouge pulled herself together in the time it took him to blink. There was still despair in her moss green eyes, but there was also a fire there. A fire for revenge that Dorian would help her achieve. "We'll make this right."

Lizabeth scrubbed the wetness from her blotching face when she heard the familiar clanking of Cassandra's armor. Even if they erased this time, Lizabeth didn't want the seeker to see her so distraught. Didn't want the warrior to think she was incapable of leading. "Sorry Dorian."

"My dear Herald you can use my shoulder any time." Dorian cheerfully explained giving her a small smile.

Cassandra looked up from the buckles of her armor, "Varric is in the room down the hall."

"He's alive?"

"Only because the dwarf knows how to give them what they want without giving anything away. I heard of them speaking of Leliana so she must still be alive. No doubt they took her to the torture room." Cassandra's gaze flicked to the back of the room, "Cullen-."

"I know." Lizabeth remarked setting out after Cassandra. The herald was sickened by the fact that Cassandra knew exactly where they were holding the spy master. How much had her friend endured? How long had Cullen lasted? Thinking of the commander made her stumble thrown off balance by the wave of grief. Just when did Cullen become so important to her? They have flirted harmlessly over the last few months and there had been some lingering looks, but that what it. When did that shift into something more without her knowledge?

The misstep didn't escape Cassandra's notice, "Are you all right Herald? Has the red lyrium begun to infect you?"

"No." Lizabeth shot a look at Dorian telling him to keep his mouth shut. "I'm fine. Let's move on."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Everything was spiraling out of her control. Lizabeth begged her companions not to do this, but they made the choice for her. Cassandra and Varric rushed out the room so Leliana could bar it from the inside. Dorian worked fervently behind her, trying to open the portal to send them back. The door shuttered. The spy master notched her first arrow waiting for when the wood of the door would break. She didn't have to wait long. The door burst open and a horde of demon and Venatori spilled into the hall. Lizabeth watched as the Seeker charged on a war cry into the large group, slashing her sword wildly. Varric was next to Leliana and they both were firing arrows as fast as they could manage. Demons fell like rain, but it didn't matter. No matter how many the trip took down, there were more coming.

Lizabeth couldn't see an end. She had to help them or they would die. A hand stopped her from moving.

"If you move we all die!" Dorian shouted dragging her back closer to the amulet.

In that short amount of time of her looking back at the mage then the approaching horde, two of her companions had been taken down. Lizabeth felt a surge of rage when pride demon threw the lifeless Cassandra's to the ground just so he could crush the body under his large foot. Dorian had to hold her back and Lizabeth wanted to beat the life out of the mage. She couldn't just stand by and watch them die for her. Real world or not, these people were her family. They were dying to give her the slight chance to correct this.

"Lizabeth," Dorian warned, "we only have one shot at this."

Maker let this work. Lizabeth was yanked back by Dorian, tumbling into the portal. A light started to wrap around her, blinding both her and Dorian. Lizabeth would never forget the look Leliana gave him just before her neck was slit. She couldn't even see her body hit the floor before the rift swallowed them whole.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

They couldn't make it back to Haven before night fall. Lizabeth begrudgingly agreed to set up camp instead of trekking through the darken woods. She just wanted to go home. Wanted back into the safety and comfort the walls of Haven provided. And if she was being honest, Lizabeth longed to see Cullen to lay her own eyes on him so she knew he was safe. The future might have been changed, but it was real for her. Lizabeth had to watch her companions give their lives for her. To get her home.

She had been so excited to see Cassandra, and in front of everyone, Lizabeth hugged the life out of overcome with joy to hear the Seeker's disproval over her chose with the mages. The rouge smiled as she stared blankly into the fire at camp. Cassandra had been so flustered by the hug she threatened bodily harm if it didn't cease her ridiculous actions.

Cassandra watched the Herald by the fire, frowning at her blank expression. "Dorian." She waited until the mage met her gaze. "What happened when Alexius sent you through the portal?"

"We went through time." Dorian explained for the tenth time since leaving Redcliff.

Cassandra sighed, "I understand that part." As crazy as that sounded. "What happened in that future?"

"A physical reminder of what can happen if she fails."

"Is that why she is so upset?"

"No." Dorian frowned, "There were things… It was bad, Cassandra."

"Why aren't you affected as she is?"

"Because it wasn't personal for me." Dorian softly explained glancing at the Herald. "Nearly everyone she knew was dead and those we found gave their lives to give us the chance to make it back."

"But we've changed that future."

"She has the memories so it's real for her." The mage studied the seeker for a moment, "do you know how important you all are to her?"

Cassandra didn't know how to answer that.

"She said you were the family she never had." The declaration jolted the seeker. Dorian tried not to sigh. "So imagine what it was like for her to watch you all die for her."

"I didn't know she felt so strongly." Cassandra whispered now understanding if only a little bit. The inquisition at first had been a means of a way to do what others were failing to do. The people that were brought together were just a body to fill the positions they needed. Somewhere from the formation to now, they had grown closer. And if she looked at it, Cassandra could see that they had formed into a family of sorts.

"Here give her this." Dorian handed over a vial of purple liquid. "It will help her sleep without going into the fade."

"Why me?"

"Because she needs someone to talk to. She needs a friend."

"I don't know how to do that." Cassandra confessed, "Perhaps Varric is better suited for that."

"Oh undoubtedly." Dorian agreed.

Groaning, Cassandra took the file and moved to sit beside the Herald next to the fire. What should she say? She had very little practice at being some one's friend. Most likely due to the fact that she had very few in the first place. "Here." Cassandra offered the vial. "Dorian said this will help you sleep."

Lizabeth didn't turn her gaze away from the fire. Something about watching the flames dance in the wind was memorizing and comforting. "That's the last thing I want to do."

For not, Cassandra set the vial aside. The crackling and popping of the fire filled the silence between them. Maker why did Dorian think that sending her would be the right choice? She was good at stabbing things not talking about emotions. She was about to leave the herald to her thoughts when Lizabeth broke the silence.

"You gave your life for me." Lizabeth's voice was barley loud enough to be heard over the noises of the fire. "To give us a chance at fixing everything."

"Of course I did. I would do it again if necessary." Cassandra blurted out.

That's what scared Lizabeth the most. As Herald of Andraste, she was deemed the most important person in the inquisition meaning that more than just Cassandra would lay down their life for hers. The realization was nauseating. Just because she had the damn mark on her hand. "They were torturing you. When I found you in the cell you had been infected by red lyrium and holding onto your father by a thread. You didn't blame me, even though it was all my fault, you didn't blame me but yourself. You said you failed me only I was the one who failed you. Yet you gave your life for mine. Even if it's in a time that doesn't exist, it was still noble and I won't ever forget it."

"Was it bad?"

Lizabeth barley could shake her head, "most of you were dead. They were torturing the ones that were left. Even after a year they were still trying to break you of information. None of you gave in. Cullen…" Emotions made it too difficult to speak of him. The desperation to see his nervous smile and honey colored eyes only grew. Lizabeth hugged her knees tight against her chest and was surprised when she felt Cassandra's arm slip around her shoulders. It was a bit awkward for the first few moments. The seeker wasn't one known for reaching out to comfort. Lizabeth was grateful and rested her head on her friend's shoulder, "It was a grim reminder of what can happen if it fails. I swear to you Cassandra I will not fail you or the inquisition."

"As you may have guessed I don't have many friends." Cassandra wasn't sure exactly what she was trying to get at. Words were Varric strong suite not hers. "But I hope you count me as one of them as I count you. And as your friend I can promise you that I will help fight at your side, doing whatever it takes for us to close this breech."

Including giving up her life.

Lizabeth sighed, "so you're still not made at me for my choice at Redcliff."

"Though I might not agree with letting them run around so freely at Haven, I trust your judgment."

"Thank you Cassandra."

"Good." The seeker removed her arm and handed the rouge the vial, "take this. Dorian said it will make it so you will not go in the fade. It will do you some good to get some rest."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Where were they? Cullen rubbed the back of his neck. They should have returned from Redcliff by now. He glanced at the path leading out of Haven, not that he was waiting for her or anything, and then back to his men in the training yard. Oh who was he trying to fool. He purposely got up at dawn there was no chance he could miss her arrival. Something must have gone wrong. What if Leliana's men hadn't been able to infiltrate the castle before the arrival of Lizabeth and her companions? If they had been successful in whatever they were doing, they would have sent a messenger a head of them back to Haven. Letting out a huffing breath, he tried to focus on the men training. There was a sickening feeling in his gut that he was beginning to hate. It was something that appeared every time Lizabeth left the safety of Haven walls. He knew that Lizabeth was more than capable handling herself in any situation, but he still worried. Maker help him. He cared for her far more than he should, even though it's something he spent many nights trying to deny. Lizabeth and his feelings for was the last thing he expected to find in the mist of all this madness.

Cullen heard the sound of approaching horses and felt his heart sigh in relief. She had returned. Thanking the Andraste, he excused himself from the training yard missing the way one of the recruits smirked. Half way to the small party the most surprising thing happened. The moment Lizabeth's eyes fell on him, she leapt from her still moving horse, and took off in a dead sprint towards him. The force of her embrace knocked him back a few steps, leaving him no choice but to wrap his arms around her to keep them both upright.

Lizabeth clawed at his shoulder, wanting to get as close as possible. Images of his lifeless body flashed through her mind. No he was alive. He was alive and everything was right with the world. Well as much as it could be at the moment "I thought I lost you."

His breath hitched when she buried her face into his throat. Instantly, his felt his body began to stir and thanked the Maker that he had on his armor. It had been far too long since he had been with a woman. Cullen stroked a hand over the short strands of her hair not really wanting to question what lead Lizabeth to be in his arms. "Lose me?" He chuckled, "I didn't know I was lost."

The light scrap of the whiskers of his jaw, the warm breath on her ear, and the sound of his sweat voice filled her to the brim with the comforted she needed. He wasn't dead. He was alive, whole, and holding her in plain view of everyone in the training yard. There would be talk by the end of the night. "I won't fail you."

The worst were nearly lost in the howl of the cold wind. Fail him? Didn't she know that wasn't possible? His lips brushed the tip of her ear, "you can never fail me, Lizabeth."

"I hope you still feel that way after what I've done."

He drew away puzzled, "what do you mean?"

Before she could answer Lizabeth screeched before darting off and nearly taking their resident spy master down. Leliana looked at him with a bemused expression and he could only shrug. Though he was a tad disappointed that Lizabeth's reaction to seeing him wasn't something more than it was, Cullen was still smiling like an idiot.

"You might want to stop that," Cassandra whispered just loud enough for the commander to hear, "or people will think you enjoyed that far more than you should."

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So did you guys like it?


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